Parsha Q&A - Parshas Tetzaveh

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Parsha Q&A

Parshas Tetzaveh

For the week ending 11 Adar 5759 / 26 & 27 February 1999

Contents:
  • Parsha Questions
  • Sherlox Holmes
  • I Did Not Know That!
  • Megillah I Did Not Know That!
  • Recommended Reading List
  • Answers to Parsha Questions
  • Back issues of Parsha Q&A
  • Subscription Information
  • Ohr Somayach Home Page

  • This publication is also available in the following formats: [Text] [Word] [PDF] Explanation of these symbols 

    Parsha Questions

    Answers | Contents

    1. What two precautions were taken to assure the purity of oil for the menorah?
    2. How was Aharon commanded to kindle the menorah?
    3. What does tamid mean in reference to the menorah?
    4. What does kehuna mean?
    5. Name the eight garments worn by the kohen gadol.
    6. To what does Rashi compare the ephod?
    7. In which order were the names of the Tribes inscribed on the ephod?
    8. The stones of the ephod bore the inscription of the names of the sons of Yaakov. Why?
    9. For what sins did the choshen mishpat atone?
    10. What are three meanings of the word mishpat?
    11. What was lacking in the bigdei kehuna in the second Beis Hamikdash?
    12. Which garment's fabric was woven of only one material?
    13. When the kohen gadol wore all his priestly garments, where on his head was the tefillin situated?
    14. What does the word tamid mean in reference to the tzitz? (two answers)
    15. Which garments were worn by a kohen hediot?
    16. During the inauguration of the kohanim, a bullock was brought as a sin offering. For what sin did this offering atone?
    17. Moshe was commanded to wash Aharon and his sons to prepare them to serve as kohanim (29:4). How were they washed?
    18. What was unique about the bull sin-offering brought during the inauguration of the kohanim?
    19. How did the oil used for the meal-offering differ from the oil used for the menorah?
    20. What does the crown on the mizbach haketores symbolize?


     
    Contents
    In honor of Purim, this week's edition features Sherlox Holmes' Smarter Brother....

    Sidelox Holmes

    Sidelox Holmes and Dr. Watstein went on a camping trip. As they lay down for the night, Sidelox says to Watstein: "Watstein, look up into the sky and tell me what you see."

    "I see millions and millions of stars," Watstein replies.

    "And what does that tell you?" asks Sidelox.

    "Astronomically, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Theologically, it tells me that G-d is great and that we are small, and meteorologically it tells me that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?"

    "That someone's stolen our tent," replied Sidelox.

    (Sidelox is inspired by.... Okay, so it's NOT inspired.)

    I Did Not Know That!

    "And its sound will be heard (v'nishma) when he enters the sanctuary..." (28:35)

    The word "v'nishma" occurs only three times throughout Tanach:

    Here, regarding the Temple service

    In the verse "naaseh v'nishma - we will do and we will hear" regarding Torah study (Shemos 7:7)

    In the verse from Megillas Esther "v'nishma pisgam hamelech...ki raba - and the word of the king will be heard...for it is great." (Esther 1:20)

    This alludes to the Talmudic statement that the Megillah reading supersedes both Talmud Torah and the Temple service. That is, the Megillah reading, alluded to by the above verse "and the word of the king will be heard..." supersedes the other two, "for it is great - ki raba," greater than even Temple service and Torah study.

    (Ba'al Haturim)


    Megillah I Did Not Know That!

    "After these things, King Achashverosh promoted Haman..." (Esther 3:1)

    Haman's power lasted for seventy days. That is, when you count from Nissan 13, when Haman delivered his first executive decree — i.e., the letters he sent out against the Jews (Esther 3:12) — until it was effectively nullified on the 23rd of Sivan (Esther 8:9), you find that exactly 70 days elapsed.

    Alluding to this, there are exactly 70 verses from the above verse describing Haman’s promotion until the verse "they hanged Haman" (Esther 7:10).

    (Me’am Lo’ez)


    Recommended Reading List

    Ramban
    28:2
    Royal Robes
    28:5
    Trustworthy Treasurers
    28:30
    Divine Communication Through "Urim V'Tumim"
    29:9
    Donning of the Kohen's Garments
    30:1
    The Incense Altar
    Malbim
    28:4
    Mystical Significance of the Garments

    Sefer Hacinuch
    98
    The Menorah Lights
    99
    Inspiration from Attire
    102
    Respect from Eating
    103
    Respect from Smelling


    Answers to this Week's Questions

    All references are to the verses and Rashi's commentary, unless otherwise stated

    1. What two precautions were taken to assure the purity of oil for the menorah?
      27:20 - The olives were pressed and not ground; and only the first drop was used.

    2. How was Aharon commanded to kindle the menorah?
      27:20 - He was commanded to kindle it until the flame ascended by itself.

    3. What does tamid mean in reference to the menorah?
      27:20 - It means that it should be kindled every night.

    4. What does kehuna mean?
      28:3 - Service.

    5. Name the eight garments worn by the kohen gadol.
      28:4,36,42 - Choshen, ephod, me'il, kesones, mitznefes, avnet, tzitz, and michnasayim.

    6. To what does Rashi compare the ephod?
      28:6 - A woman's riding garment.

    7. In which order were the names of the Tribes inscribed on the ephod?
      28:10 - In order of birth.

    8. The stones of the ephod bore the inscription of the names of the sons of Yaakov. Why?
      28:12 - So that Hashem would see their names and recall their righteousness.

    9. For what sins did the choshen mishpat atone?
      28:15 - For judicial errors.

    10. What are three meanings of the word mishpat?
      28:15 - 1) The claims of the litigants; 2) The court's ruling; 3) The court's punishment.

    11. What was lacking in the bigdei kehuna in the second Beis Hamikdash?
      28:30 - The Urim V'Tumim - the "Shem Ha'meforash" placed in the folds of the choshen.

    12. Which garment's fabric was woven of only one material?
      28:31 - The fabric of the me'il was made only of techeles.

    13. When the kohen gadol wore all his priestly garments, where on his head was the tefillin situated?
      28:37 - Between the tzitz and the mitznefes.

    14. What does the word tamid mean in reference to the tzitz? (two answers)
      28:38 - 1) It always atones, even when not being worn; 2) The kohen gadol must always be aware that he is wearing it.

    15. Which garments were worn by a kohen hediot?
      28:40,42 - Kesones, avnet, migba'as, and michnasayim.

    16. During the inauguration of the kohanim, a bullock was brought as a sin offering. For what sin did this offering atone?
      29:1 - The sin of the golden calf.

    17. Moshe was commanded to wash Aharon and his sons to prepare them to serve as kohanim (29:4). How were they washed?
      29:4 - They immersed in a mikveh.

    18. What was unique about the bull sin-offering brought during the inauguration of the kohanim?
      29:14 - It is the only external sin-offering that was completely burned.

    19. How did the oil used for the meal-offering differ from the oil used for the menorah?
      29:40 - Oil for the menorah comes only from beaten olives. Oil for meal-offerings may come from either beaten olives or from ground-up olives.

    20. What does the crown on the mizbach haketores symbolize?
      30:3 - The crown of kehuna.


    Written and Compiled by Rabbi Eliyahu Kane & Rabbi Reuven Subar
    General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
    Production Design: Eli Ballon
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